Unwind: Bri's Story
by LovableDork 8P
Summary: My name is Bri. My story, how i became an unwind, is finally coming out. This is how i fight...this is what i face to stay alive...
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own "Unwind" but the story I wrote does contain some actual events that have happened to me. Neal Shusterman, by some off chance that you are reading my FanFic, please know…I FREAKIN LOVE YOU AND YOUR STORIES! ^-^ Ok continue on…**

Unwind: Bri's Story

Hi. I'm Bri, and I'm an Unwind. How did I become an Unwind? Well…it's a long story.

See I was a mistake. An accidental child, but storking wasn't around just yet. My mom had me at sixteen, but she decided to keep me, even though everyone told her to abort me. Abort…such an ugly word… Well my mom divorced my dad, and my mom found somebody else. A jerk who hated me before I was born…you could tell what kind of life I lived up until I was about ten or eleven. That's when my mom finally divorced him.

Well, I think my mom, decided to live out her teenage years now since she didn't get to live them out when I was born. We'll teens fight, and me and my mom…we were like polar opposites! When I was twelve the Heartland war broke out, and it didn't end till I was 16. A four year war and they couldn't freaking agree on anything, so what do they do? They decide to establish storking and unwind. Unwind…a word as ugly as abortion. The day Unwinding was announced, my mom and I got into a very bad fight. She took my phone and my laptop, so I couldn't call my dad. I locked myself in my room, and even though I got many death threats from my mother, I was not opening that door for anything.

I cried into my pillow, but I didn't let any noise out. I was not letting my mom hear me cry. That would be showing a weakness. I turned on my radio, and listened to a ton of music. I started singing a part of a song, when I heard her.

"Bri Marie Aldridge! That better not be music I hear in there!" My mom screamed through the door. "Leave me alone! You are not any kind of mother to me!" I screamed. "What! When I get in there you are fucki-"I turned the music up so loud it was killing my ears, but it was better than my mother's voice.

That's when I heard it: the news broadcast. "Great news! The Heartland war has finally ended!" I sat straight up in my bed to listen to the news. Even my mom had gotten quiet. "The pro-life the pro-choice teams have finally reached an agreement that from this moment on will be known as the _Bill of Life_."

I frowned confused. _'The Bill of Life? What one earth?-' _Then my mom screamed for me again, but I told her to wait, which made her even more mad. The broadcast continued:

"Yes I realize some of you may be confused, but don't worry! It'll all make sense in a minute. Here are some of the terms of the Bill of Life." Some shuffling could be heard and I realize that the spotlight was being handed to someone…no wait…not just someone…the President of the United States? Yes it was him, but what could he-?

"As you have heard, the Heartland War is in fact over" He pauses for a second to let that information sink in. "As to the agreement of the pro-lives and pro-choices, I have signed a bill that will help put this war behind us. The terms of this bill go as followed: **1.** Human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen." I frowned. Were they talking about…murder?

"Oh don't worry, this will all be explained to you soon… **2.** Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively "abort" a child but, only on the condition that the child's life doesn't "technically" end. **3. **This process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called "unwinding", and yes unwinding is now a common and accepted practice in society today."

I couldn't listen anymore. I hopped up and started packing my things immediately. All those years my mother wished she could go back and abort me…well now she has her chance…I have to get out of here and fast.

The station announces out a number to call if you wish to have your child unwound. God why did I put it up so loud! I shut the radio off, but that only made my stomach feel like it dropped 10 feet…because I could hear my mother dialing the phone.

I didn't pack much, just enough for me to live off of for now. I opened the window and jumped out. As soon as my feet hit the ground…I was running.

**Me: *frowns softly* Yes some of these events are true. Like my mom marrying a jerk, and us getting into a huge scary fight. *sighs***

**Connor: *awkwardly pats my back* Hey…it'll be ok. You're an unwind just like all of us. *gestures to Risa and Lev***

**Risa: Well…Lev was originally a tite…**

**Lev: I said don't call me that!**

**Me: *rolls eyes* Look Lev we know you've changed, chill.**

**Lev: *Crosses his arms and sits next to me along with Connor and Risa* **

**Me: Well guys…how about a review for us unwinds? The more reviews the better chance we stay alive through this…**

**Connor: Wait! This isn't gonna be a one-shot is it?**

**Me: *shrugs* If the people think it's good enough to be a whole story then I'll write more.**

**R, C, and L: Please guys! Make her write more!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not, nor will I ever have the pleasure of owning "Unwind" ._. It's sad but true. Ok ^-^ not much else to say…oh wait! ^-^ SingWithAPassion? Thank you so much for my first review on this story ^-^ I honestly didn't think I'd get one that quickly on a FanFic. ^-^ To your request I will make multiple chapters. Let's see where our little heroine's (no not the drug. That's **_**heroin**_**) journey takes her. Ok you may continue on. :3 Shusterman! ^-^ **

Chapter 2- On my Own I Guess

So this is what it's like…to feel absolutely betrayed…and by your own mother. Well maybe she wasn't calling to have me unwound. Maybe it was all just a big misunderstanding.

'_Yeah and maybe I can breathe underwater…'_ I thought sarcastically. As much as I'd like to believe all that misunderstanding crap is true, I just knew it wasn't.

Fairy tales are the perfect lives, the ones kept in little kid story book, and they're meant to stay there I guess. Not meant for a person like me.

I thought about where I should go once I was a few good miles away from the dead end place I use to call home. I thought about calling my dad, but I knew the cops wouldn't mind taking him out to get to me.

I thought about my best friend Erin, but there was no way I could bring her into this…but I got an idea. I walked to the field where I first met her and I sat down. I pulled my notebook and began writing a letter to her. How she was always there for me, how I felt practically related to her, and how I could only trust her.

Then I got into the more serious stuff…about how my mother wanted to have me unwound. I wanted her to take my cat Neko, and for the love of god never let my mother touch her. I recounted the good memories we had and told her to never come and find me. I wanted her to also tell my other best friend, Marcus, that I'd miss him and to tell my boyfriend, Joshua, that I loved him.

I just knew she'd rolled her eyes at that one…seeing as she hates his guts. She never trusted him after Joshua cheated on me. It's embarrassing. I'd rather not talk about it, but the point is we're back together…or were I guess.

'_God this is hard…'_ I thought wiping the tears from my eyes. _'can't cry…have to finish'_ by the time I finished I had written about four and a half pages…five if you count the tear drenched one. I carefully snuck over to Erin's house and I did our signature dog call…pretty much like a bird call but with barking. Soon I saw Erin and she came down almost immediately.

"Bri? What on Earth are you doing he-"I cut her off by handing her the letter. I could tell by the look of confusion and slight fear in her eyes that my face told the whole story. "E-Erin I need you to read this" Her eyes filled with sadness but she nodded. "It's your mom isn't it?" she whispered and I answered with a slight nod. She nodded and started to tear open the letter.

"No!" I said putting my hand on the letter to stop her. "Not now. Tonight when you go to the library with Marcus" She nodded and held her hand out...

…Our handshake….I had done it since seventh grade. It was basically muscle memory. First grab Erin's hand firmly…high five with the other over the clasped hands then under…switch places letting go for a second facing each other…rejoin hands then pull in for a hug.

Is this the last time I'll get to do this with her? Is this the last good memory I can hold onto? Is this the last time I'd ever get to see one of my two best friends? I couldn't answer any of those questions as I pulled away tearing up. I nodded to her and I ran out as fast as I could…just one more stop…

I had originally planned to run to Joshua's house as fast as I could…but my feet led me to Marcus's. I couldn't tell you exactly why, but it felt like I was the toddler that got lost from her mother, and Joshua was the creepy old man with the unmarked van that has promises of candy.

I didn't have to knock on his door…I knew instantly where Marcus was, so I took a detour and cut across one yard to reach his fence. "Marcus!" I half whispered, half yelled over the tall fence. Marcus's parents never really liked me…probably because of how unladylike I was, and that's why they built the tall fence, but hell! Marcus was my best friend and they could just get over it.

Very quickly after I yelled his name, Marcus had run to the fence door opening it, smiling. God I just loved everything about this boy. He had brown hair like mine but it was usually was messy like today. His blue eyes dazzled brightly which my plain hazel ones failed in comparison. He was hilarious, coming up with the craziest plans, but sweet when I'm upset…like now.

He was over in an instant and wrapped me in a hug smiling. "Bri! Hey!" he said in his usual happy tone. I hugged back pushing my face into his chest. _'No don't cry…I have to do this…' _

I pulled back looking up at him my eyes red. He looked down at me frowning in concern touching my cheek softly. "Bri…what's wrong? Are you hurt? Is it Joshua?" I saw his eyes flair up with anger and I shook my head instantly diminishing the thought.

"N-no I-it's just…" I couldn't help it, the first of the tears started to squeeze out. He gently wiped them away. "Bri…please don't cry. It's your mom isn't it? Don't worry, you can stay here if you need to or Erin's house even" I shook my head.

"I have to go…" I whispered. He frowned and looked at his watch. "Now? You just got here and it's only 2:30!" I cut him off. "No Marcus, I mean leave here…town…the state…" I looked up at him as tears spilled down my cheeks.

I don't know why I was telling him this, I had saved it all in my letter, but he looked down hurt and he put his hands on the back of my neck gently forcing me to look up at him.

"Bri, w-what are you talking about?" I took a deep breath and I started explaining the whole thing. "D-did you hear the announcement on the radio about being unwound" He shakes his head.

"No I saw it on TV, it's terrible! But why-?" He stops short and looks down at me with his blue eyes piercing me with a mixture of fear, hurt, protection, and…something else…

I gulped and nodded. "I-I have to go Marcus…" I said and he softly touched my cheek. "I'm coming with you" he said but I shook my head.

"N-no Marcus you have to stay here. Think about your brothers, your dad, your stepmom." He sneered at the thought of his stepmom which me and him and decided to call the Wicked Witch of Georgia.

He looked down at me painfully. "Bri I can't just let you leave…I-I'll never see you again…" I shook my head. "No of course you will, when I'm eighteen" I explained.

"But your fifteen now! That's three years, and as soon as you come back they'll throw you in jail!" He said looking determined. I looked up at him and cleared my voice stepping away from him. "No you can't come…I'm sorry Marcus…I-I love you…" I blushed and looked at him and he looked back wide eyed. "I love you too…" he said with a ton of pain in his voice…

I kissed him…or he kissed me…I can't remember but it was over in a second. I blushed running from his house. I saw him touching his lips and I saw a tear slip down his face.

I touched my own lips while I ran and cursed at myself. '_God dammit why'd I do that! I-it was stupid!'_ I was so confused but I just kept running, and wasn't focusing on anything until I ran into somebody.

"O-oh I'm sorry" I said quickly and pulled away but the person roughly grabbed my shoulders. It was Joshua. His face broke out into a sickening smile when he saw me. "Hey Bri!" I realized I was in his front yard. _'Dammit I don't want to deal with him right now…'_

Isn't it just terrible? He's my boyfriend, but right now I'd honestly rather be anywhere else. He was mowing his lawn and had the radio playing to 'Face Down' by the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and I snorted at the irony. I swear they were singing it straight to Joshua…

I shook my head, and turned to leave. "I can't talk now Josh, I have to go…" He'll find out eventually…he'll be extremely pissed when he does, but he'll get over it. I started to walk away but he grabbed my arm a little too tightly and I flinched.

"Where are you going, Bri? Come on lets hang-"He was interrupted by an announcement on the radio.

"_**ATTENTION! We are looking for two runaway unwounds, named Bri Aldridge and Olive Johnson. Both are considered to be extremely dangerous and possibly armed. DO NOT approach them if you see them just call our hotline" **_

Olivia Johnson? Her name sounded familiar… and armed? Dangerous? Where did they get this stuff? Either way it was enough for Joshua to push me away.

"Y-you…g-get away from me!" Joshua yelled as I stumbled away from him. I looked at him hurt, thinking of the way Marcus treated me when he found out, how he volunteered to come along. I only had time for him to look for maybe another second before he took out a cell phone….That's when I took off running.

It felt like hours of running, and my tears kept blurring my vision. I honestly had no idea where I was going, but I needed to get out of here. I heard sirens in the distant. 'Oh no…' I forced my legs to run faster, until they were practically burning. I saw the cars pull up behind me and I saw guns…long ones not like pistols. I ran into the woods with two cops following behind me. "Stop! Thief!" one cop yelled. _'Thief? Thief! What on earth could I…?'_

"oh…" I murmured. It hit me…I was stealing my body…when my mom ordered me as an unwind I was the governments property now, not my own. Damn…if I couldn't own my own self what else did I have to live for? So I kept running and I felt tears slip down my face from the pain. I heard a gunshot and I yelped when I felt something pierce my leg. I looked down and saw it was a dart. _'God dammit! What the hell! Why are they shooting-?' _

Suddenly I felt a wave of drowsiness. "W-what…?" I murmured, but my lips felt glued together. I felt myself start to stumble, and when I tripped over a rock, I knew it was over…

Dang…caught on my first day… I felt myself rolling fast and I crashed into some bushes. My body felt too numb to move so I just laid there feeling utterly defeated. I felt hands scoop under my armpits and tug me, and I thought _'this is it…no, it can't be over already!'_

I tried to squirm but something was off…they were from inside the bushes and they tugged me deep into the concealment of the forest. "Hush! We're here to help you!" I heard someone hiss, but I kept struggling with all my might.

I didn't know what was going on so I threw my numb arms around desperately trying to hit something. "Pin her down! She'll give us away!" someone hissed. I felt hands push me calmly back down, and I got a blurry glimpse of the person. It was Olivia Johnson from my science class. _'Oh that's where I've seen her from...'_ I thought tiredly. Her face was the last thing I remember before passing out.

**Me: finally got this chapter done! :3 **

***Erin and Marcus on a desperate search for Bri* **

**Erin: Lovable! Where's Bri?**

**Me: *Pouts* if I told you, then there'd be no story!**

**Marcus: *shakes me by my shoulders* don't play with my woman!**

**Me: ._. Connor? Risa? Can y'all pleeeeease get Marcus off me?**

**C and R: *is behind Marcus***

**Marcus: O.O *lets me go***

**Me: *innocent smile and hugs Connor and Risa* thank yoooou ^-^ ok guys, please review. It took me some time to write this ^-^**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hai! ^-^ I'm back for another chapter. To my readers, thank you so much for the nice reviews I've been getting! Y'all are so sweet, and I'm sorry I've taken so long! . *bows apologetically* To Neal Shusterman, care to give a little writing advise to this young writer? :3 And lastly to Fanfiction…I do not own Unwind or any of the characters…except for Bri, Joshua, Marcus, Erin, and Olivia :P everyone happy? Good :3**

I woke up to the muffled noises of worried voices. _'What? Are you people scared you damaged the merchandise?'_ I thought bitterly and opened my eyes groggily.

I expected to see the typical hospital…white hospital beds, white walls, sheets, some horrifyingly sharp tools used to rip me from limb to limb, with thousands of doctors waiting to watch. What I didn't expect was to find myself lying on a cot, a soft blanket on top of me, in what appeared to be a basement with barely any people in it.

"Shhh she's waking up, be gentle" I heard someone, a girl, whisper as I sat up. _'Bad idea…'_ The moment I sat up, my head went swimming. I clenched to the side of the bed hoping it'll pass.

Suddenly I felt hands on my shoulders, and I had a sudden wave of panic and smacked them away. "Ow! Bri! If you don't chill, we're gonna throw you back out to the cops!" I heard someone yell at me. I looked and saw it was Olivia.

I rubbed my head confused. "W-what the hell is going on?" I said. "We saved your butt, that's what happened…"

I looked over and saw a random guy. I guess he was cute, but he looked like a jerk, so I narrowed my eyes. "I wasn't talking to you…" He just shrugged and another girl I have never seen before walks up.

"Hello Bri" She held her hand out to shake, so I gingerly took it shaking it slightly. "My name's Risa. And this is Connor, and Olivia has told me you and her have already met" She smiled, and I nodded softly. "We have another guy. His name is Lev, but I don't know where he went"

I frowned softly and murmured "Well if he's anything like Mr. Grumps over there, I think I can wait to meet him…" Apparently they heard me because Risa let out a small laugh and Connor glared at me.

I shrugged with a small amused smile, and he huffed and looked away from me. I tried to stand up, but Olivia came over to sit me back down. I waved her off. "I'm fine. Just a little shaken" Olivia nodded and sat back down.

I heard laughter and looked over at where Connor was. "What's so funny?" I narrowed my eyes. "Nothing…just…how'd you get the cops on you that quickly?" He said laughing. I glared.

"If you must know, my now ex-boyfriend called the cops on me…" That shut him up and Risa smacked the back of his head. I smirked softly, and I saw Olivia tilt her head.

"So you and Joshua are broken up now?" She asked softly and I nodded softly rolling my eyes. "Well I don't plan on getting back together with him, after he turned me into the cops"

She just shrugged. "I always figured you two would break up, and you would get together with Marcus" I blushed and looked down sadly not saying anything. _'Marcus…'_

Connor and Risa looked at each other and Connor shrugged. "I'm not even gonna ask who these people are…" He stood up and gestured for me to come along.

"Come on, Bri. We're gonna find food" Since I haven't eaten since breakfast of yesterday, I didn't argue since. I felt starving, so I got up and followed him out the door.

As soon as we walked out of the basement, we walked straight for the door. Upon walking outside, I realized we were in a house in the woods. It was small and ther trees hid it well, but I didn't talk until we were far away from it, just in case someone was listening.

"So where are we going?" I asked. "I told you we're going to get food…" he said sounding irritated. I rolled my eyes. "No dip, Sherlock, I meant where are we getting food?"

He looked ahead not saying anything, and eventually shrugged. "I don't know…"

Me being the sarcastic person that I am, I say "Oh well that's just perfect! Let's scour the trashcans for scraps for the hell of it then!"

He clenched his fists and turned quickly on his heel at me pointing judgingly at me. "Hey! I'm trying my hardest to help us all through this! You are not helping, and to be honest, you and that Olivia chick are baggage! If it up for me, you and Olivia wouldn't even be here!" He turned back and walked quickly. "Damn ingrates…"

That made me snap….

I grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and threw him to the ground. He turned at me, and looked like he was about to kill me. "Hey! What the fu-?"

"Don't ever call me that, do you hear me? Don't _**ever**_ call me that! You have no idea what the fuck I've been through! You don't get how damn happy I am to be here instead of a hospital, or a chop shop, or wherever they do it! Dammit…"

I saw him look up at me wide-eyed and I turned quickly on my heels walking away clenching my fists not wanting to look at him. I heard him try to stand up as quickly as possible following me, but I kept walking looking down my arms wrapped around me.

'_Dammit leave me alone, I already feel stupid…'_ I thought bitterly. He gently touched my shoulder which made me stop. Connor? The gentle type? Riiiight.

He turned me to face him and looked down awkwardly. I frowned and tilted me head. _'What the fuck is he trying to do now?'_

He looked back up and patted my shoulder gently. "C'mon…let's find ya something good to eat." He let go and walked off in direction of town leaving me confused.

'_What the heck was that about? Was he….apologizing?'_ As soon as the thought hit me, my face broke out in a small smile and I followed after him. _'I think he was anyways…'_

"Maybe we won't be complete enemies…." I murmured quietly before I came up behind him.

**Me: *fist pumps* another chapter! While listening to music :3 beast…**

**Marcus: *runs a hand through his hair* At least Bri is safe….**

**Risa: Why'd you change some of the characters names love?**

**Me: ^.^0 I didn't like using some of the names, so I changed it. :3 Sorry if you guys came to love their old names.**

**Connor: *rolls eyes***

**Lev: *playing in dirt***

**Bri: That isn't exactly tite personality :3 *smirks softly***

**Lev: Suddup! I'm not a stupid tite!**

**Bri and me: *bows* so sorry your titeyness :P**

**Lev: -.-**

**Everyone else including me and Bri: *laughing out loud while nomming white chocolate pretzels* (LOLWNWCP) :3**

**Me: *laughs* o-ok XD c'mon guys :3 how bout some reviews for your beloved author? ^.^ 3**


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